help me make bathtime more sane!

[dalia]

My 14 month old ds has started throwing all his bath toys (filled with water) over the side of the tub and pretty much refuses to sit down, which up until tonight was one of my rules. I want to tell him yes more than no but I am also not an "anything goes" kind of parent. How do you all go about enforcing bathtime rules while still keeping it fun? All I really want is for him not to stand, throw toys over the edge or play with the faucet (turning the water hot or cold). Ideas?

[Courtney-Ostaff]

That's a hard one at that age.

Do you get in the tub with him?  I did, and it helped with the standing.

Also, you could do, "Are you cold? Standing up like that must make you chilly! Are you ready to get out and get a warm towel?"  When you get, "No!!" you say, "Well, then, you need to sit down before you get cold!  Otherwise we'll get out before you get cold or hurt!!"  Also, if you're in there with him, when he stands up, you can catch him if need be.

Throwing toys was a hard one for us.  We did the "If you throw it, you must not want it any more, so Daddy's going to put it up while we finish our bath." "Oh, you want it?  Then don't throw it, or it will go bye-bye!!"  

Faucet we found was simple. Turn it really hot and let them get close to it.  Not close enough to burn, but enough to show them it's hot.  "Ouch! Feel how hot that is!  That hurts! Let's turn it off, quick!!"  Likewise, with cold.

[lookatreestar]

umm yeah, toys get thrown out then they don't get them back? honestly it is probably a phase. i just keep repeating sit on your bottom as many times as it takes. some kids need a bit more reminding.

[dalia]

He could honestly care less if he doesn't get them back so that is not really a consequence for him. He just likes to watch them fall and splash water (all over me!). Tonight just turned into a big power struggle and I really don't want that. But I also don't want my bathroom to be flooded!!

[Courtney-Ostaff]

Well, if he doesn't get them back, then he can't throw them, can he? ;)  

Just start without toys, and hand him one if he asks for it.  If he throws it, it goes back in the pile.  

We just live with the bathroom flooded, for the most part. We lay down 3 or so towels next to the tub and wash and dry them every day.

Oh, and the rule is, she can splash if she wants to, but if she does, the shower curtain gets closed so it doesn't get everywhere.

[Jessnet]

We had serious issues with the faucet, too. For awhile, the no standing rule solved the faucet problem because he couldn't reach it, but then my little munchkin learned how turn the faucet on and off from a couching position so as not to break the no standing rule, lol.

The reason the faucet was so seductive was that filling up his cups and dumping them out on his boats ( repeat, repeat, repeat) was his favorite bathtime game. We solved the problem by buying him another toy! There is this play faucet out there (very cute and came with 4 new cups!) that you stick to the side of the tub that is simply a pump disguised as a faucet that recirculates the bath water. He has his own faucet to play with now and turn on and off (and on and off, and on and off, and on and off......) and he leaves the real one alone now!

[dalia]

Jessnet, what is the name of this toy? I must have it!

[Jessnet]

Originally Posted by dalia 

Jessnet, what is the name of this toy? I must have it!

Yes, we love ours!

It is made by Yookidoo and it's called flow and spill, or flow and spout...something like that. Super reasonable, I only paid about $15 for ours.

[francesruben]

How about having showers for a while instead? My kids shower with me or together now because bathtime was no fun for me. At the end of the day I don't feel like cleaning up a wet bathroom!

[dalia]

Well I got him the little yookie-doo and he plays with it a little but mostly he likes to turn it upside down and listen to the motor gasp for water lol. After a bit of repeating myself (like, 100 times) he doesn't stand or grab at the faucet unless he's ready to be done. I guess it was a phase! Now, on to the next one...